Comprehensive

During a thunderstorm, a lightning strike sends a branch plunging through your car's sun roof and windshield. After you cover your wounded car with a tarp to prevent excess water damage, you file a claim to have your Comprehensive coverage help pay for the repairs.

What is Comprehensive Coverage?

Comprehensive coverage is what some people refer to as "other than collision" coverage. It's an optional coverage that protects you from paying the full cost of damages caused by non-accident related incidents like:

vandalism

theft

fire

animals

natural disasters (or acts of God)

During a thunderstorm, a lightning strike sends a branch plunging through your car's sun roof and windshield. After you cover your wounded car with a tarp to prevent excess water damage, you file a claim to have your Comprehensive coverage help pay for the repairs.

What Comprehensive Coverage Includes

A lot of situations fall under the phrase “other than collision,” Whether there was an act of God or your car became a casualty of kids throwing rocks, this coverage can help pay for the damages. Some non-accident related incidents covered by Comprehensive coverage include:

Falling objects

Flying objects

Objects being blown by the wind

People (like the kids throwing rocks, or even vandalism)

Animals (including birds)

Let’s break down the different areas of Comprehensive coverage a little more.

Comprehensive Coverage and Theft

If your car is stolen, Comprehensive coverage can help pay for the cost of temporary transportation needed during the search for your car.

At Say, our Comprehensive coverage will pay up to $30 a day for a maximum of 45 days. If the car can’t be found, the Comprehensive coverage will kick in to pay for you its value.

If the car is recovered before the claim is fully paid, Say Insurance will return your car at no expense to you. Also, if your car was stolen and recovered, Say’s Comprehensive coverage can help pay the costs (up to $500) to replace or reprogram your keys or door locks (in case that thief kept the extra key that was in the glove box).

Comprehensive coverage can also apply to what we call a “non-owned vehicle.” A non-owned vehicle is an automobile that you have permission to use and:

Is NOT owned by anyone on your policy or in your household;

Is NOT listed on your policy;

Is NOT a car anyone on your policy or in your household has general consent to use (such as a work vehicle).

Comprehensive Coverage and Non-Owned Utility Trailers

Just as with the non-owned vehicles, up to $500 of Say’s Comprehensive coverage can extend to non-owned utility trailers, including the cargo being carried on the trailer as long as it is not already covered under another coverage.

Comprehensive Coverage and Modifications

At Say Insurance, if you made the following modifications to your vehicle, they would also be covered under Collision insurance, at up to $5000.

What Comprehensive Coverage Doesn’t Cover

Even though Comprehensive (“other than Collision”) coverage is pretty extensive, there are still certain items of damage that are not covered under Comprehensive insurance. They include, among other things:

Tires, unless they were attached to the vehicle and damage was caused by fire, vandalism, theft, or a covered accident that also damaged other parts of the vehicle;

Damage to detachable living-quarters units (like a camper or RV) that include permanently attached sleeping or cooking facilities;

Damage sustained while the car is being used in a transportation network company, like Uber or Lyft

Damage sustained while the driver was being paid to transport anything (including people);

Damage caused by the driver continuing to drive the car after the accident if it was reasonable to stop driving after the original damage occurred.

Comprehensive coverage doesn’t cover an auto rental in those situations either. And it doesn’t apply to an auto:

On loan for demonstration purposes by someone in the auto business;

Being used to carry property for a charge;

Covered under other coverages;

Used after the driver purchases a collision damage waiver, collision insurance from the rental company, or any other similar contract;

More than 12,000 pounds in gross weight.

Do I Need Comprehensive Car Insurance Coverage?

Comprehensive car insurance coverage is an optional coverage in all states; but if your vehicle is financed or leased, the lender may require you to purchase a policy with Comprehensive coverage. If your vehicle is fully paid off, then it really depends on whether you decide this coverage is worth paying for.

Calculating If Comprehensive Coverage Is Worth It:

One way to decide if the coverage is worth the extra cost is to compare the value of your vehicle to the amount of the deductible you’d pay if you had to use the coverage. Remember, a deductible is the amount of money you agree to pay out-of-pocket before your insurance coverage kicks in. If your ride is fairly new, a $250-2000 deductible to repair or replace it doesn’t seem too bad. But if you’re driving a bit of a clunker, the deductible and premium for this extra coverage may cost you more than your car is worth.

Say’s Comprehensive Insurance Deductible Options

At Say, we have four deductible options, though there may be certain situations when all four aren’t available. In most cases, Say drivers can choose a deductible of: